Signal.



S. L. YOUNG.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 10, 1912.

1,083,978. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Eiql.

A NORA/Ey STEPHEN L. YOUNG', OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SIGNAL.

tessere.

Specification of Letters Patent.

filatented li an. t3, 19kt.

Application filed June 10, 1912. Serial No. 702,926.

To all whom 'it may concer/i Be it known that l, STEPHEN L. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signals such as are used with lire pails and other liquid receptacles for indicating automatically when the liquid has fallen below a predetermined level; and it comprises a visual indicator on the outside of the liquid receptacle together' with a float or other means within thc receptacle, operable by the liquid for holding such indicator normally in elevated position and releasing the same when the liquid has fallen and the re ceptacle needs filling; and more specifically' it comprises such a visual indicator and float provided with spring clamps for holding the indicator and float detachably to the edge of the tire pail or other receptacle; and it also comprises certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts; all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

ln liquid receptacles such as lire buckets, which are required to be maintained in large number in mills, on ships, and in factories, continual. evaporation of the liquid takes place, with the result that frequent inspection is necessary to insure that the required amount of water still remains in the bucket. and to fill those buckets in which the level of the liquid has been lowered too much by evaporation, leakage or otherwise. Frequently such tire buckets are placed on shelves where they are out of the way and where the level of the liquid cannot be seen. lts a result it is necessary either to spend an excessive amount of time in inspecting suoli buckets individuallyT or to provide some means for indicating when the water in the buckets needs replenishing. ln automatic devices as heretofore made an elaborate and complicated mechanism has been used, or mechanism which interferes with the utilization of the bucket when necessary. Clockwork mechanisms have also been proposed but these mechanisms are also elaborate and expensive. llforeover such mechanisms which depend on the ringing of a bell or other sound indicators become inoperative if nobody is present to hear them.

It is the object of the present invention to Y provide an automatic signal device which is simple and reliable in operation; which will operate to indicate the lowering of the liquid level below a preifletermined point and remain in operative position until manually replaced; which will not interfere with the use of the bucket in case of tire, but which can be readily removed when desired; and which is inexpensive to manufacture and not liable to get out of order or to become inoperative.

ln the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, and showingcertain specific embodiments of it, Figure l is a perspective view of a tire bucket with the visual indicator in lowered position. Fig. 2 is another view showing the visual indicator elevated and the bucket full of water, part of the float casing being broken away. Fig. 3 shows a modification of the signal attachment. Fig. 4l shows still another modification in section on the line tw-1, Fig. Fig. shows a section on the line .Vi-5, F 4e, and Fig. G shows still another modification of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention of Figs. l and 2 a fire bucket l is shown on a suitable support, and with the signal device of the present invention attached. rlhis device is made up oit' the gravity operated sigY nal or indicator 3 pivotally supported by the wire supports son the outside of the bucket in unstable equilibrium and on the inside of the bucket is a float. casing 5 also supported by the same wire support indicated at G, which extends into recesses 7 formed in the periphery of the float casing. These wires are fastened to the .float casing by soldering, brazing or otherwise. inside the float casing is a float 8, shown as made of cork and provided with a guide wire extending through the top and bottom of the float casing.y for the purpose more fully hereinafter explained. The float casing 5 is provided with a top l0. preferably made of copper or other metal not corroded by water, and this top l0 is provided with a vent hole ll. The bottom of the casing is similarly constructed with an opening The wire support 4j, is shown as made of a single piece of wire with i ts ends attached to the float casing and held together by soldering at 16. rllhis wire is formed as a spring clamp of inverted llshape which can be readily attached to, or detached from. a pail or bucket, and which when attached is held in place on t-he side of the bucket by its spring action. This wire is bent to form an additional guide loop 13 for the 'float guide wire, and also to form upright loops 14C which serve as guides for the extension member 15 of the signal 3 bot-h when raised, and when released, and thus insure alinement ot the hole 2O and rod 9; and also insure that the signal when released, 'falls directly downward. These loops 1/1 also furnish convenient holds for removing the device hurriedly in 'case of tire. The gravity actuated signal 3 on the outside ot the bucket is shown in Fig. 1 in` its lowered position, and in Fig. Q, as raised and supported in unstable equilibrium. This signal is shown as provided with depressions 18 for the wires t and also with a depression 19 tor the bead 2 on the top of the bucket. Extending upwardly and inwardly from the signal 3, and shown as integral with it, is the catch or tongue 15 provided with a relatively large hole 20 for the float guide wire.

ln operation, it the pail is empty and the signal is down, shown in Fig. 1, the float is also in a lowered position in its casing, as shown. Vhen the pail is filled with water, as in Fig. 2, the float is raised as indicated, the arrangement and size of the float being such as to insure the desired operation. lllhen, now, the signal 3 is raised the tongue or catch 15 will be guided by the wires 111 and will. owing to its extending both up iardly and inwardly, engage the upper end of the lioat rod 1T and depress it until this rod is held by the hole 20 into which it extends, (see Fig. 3). Thus it is not necessary to manually depress the iioat rod, but merely to swing the signal into its elevated position when .it automatically catches. lVhen now the water level falls. owing to evaporation, leakage or otherwise, the float also falls and as it falls sutliciently to withdraw the end of the rod 17 trom the hole 2O the signal will be released and will tall to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus indicating at a glance that the bucket needs refilling. This signal conforms to the shape ot the bucket when elevated and is made on its outside of the same kind of material as the bucket, c. galvanized iron; but on its inside it is painted an attractive red to draw attention. The float casing protects the float from the direct impact of the water in the bucket and thus prevents releasing the signal when the bucket is given a sudden jar. or the water is otherwise agitated, but the holes 11 and 12 allow gradual inflow and outflow ot water and air so that the liquid level within. and without the casing readily becomes and remains the saine. As already indicated, the top and bottom of the float casing which are subjected to the wearing action ot the. float rod, are advantageously made of copper, and the guide wire of brass. The wire support-s el, G are also preferably made ot rather still copper or brass wire.

Fig. 3 shows a modification of the signal attachment in which the guide rod 9 is guided by guide loops QQ and formed in the same wire. that supports the signal from the side of the bucket. ln this structure the float casing omitted and the entire signal constructed of the gravity signal member, the wire support, and the iioat and float rod. lnasinnch as most tire buckets are smaller at the bottom than at the top, the outside ot' the buckets tapers inwardly jtrom the top down, soY that the hinge of the gravity operated signal is insioe the center ot gravity of the signal. its a result the signal is supported in unstable equilibrium and when it. is released at its upper end it falls freely and readily by gravity to its lowered position. This relative location ot the hinge is shown in Fig. il. rtdditional means may be provided, however, supplemental to, or in lieu of, such a gravity arrangement. Fig. 3 shows such a supplemental spring in the form of a bend in the supporting wire at Q1. lVhen the catch 15 is released' this spring assists in starting the signal downward, after which it continues to fall by gravity.

Tn Figs. land 5 a hollow instead of a cork lioat is shown at provided with detachable guide rods and QG; and in this modification the guides are shown as plates, preferably of copper, 2T and 23, permanently attached to the side ot the bucket, as by rivets or otherwise. The signal 3 in this figure is supported by the spring wires 30 which extend over the edge ot the bucket and pass through holes in the guide plates. The signal is thus readily detachable but accurately positioned with respect to the float when in operative position.

1n Fig. 6 a modification is shown similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2 but with the signal and float casing independently detachable from the bucket. The outer wire -1 has spring projections extending inside the bucket and the inner supporting wire (i has projections 3.1 extending outside the bucket. For insuring the correct relative positioning of the signal and float the wires 31 are both outside the corresponding wires Since the device of the present invention is attached only to the side ot the bucket it does not interfere with its use in case ot lire; but atthe same time, in the modifications shown, a part or all ot the device is easily and quickly detachable when desired.

While the device has been shown as applied to tire buckets, it. is also adapted 'for use with reservoirs, tubs. and tanks ot various descriptions in a similar manner.

1 claim.

1. A signal device for lire buckets comprising in combination a spring support made up of wire, provided with ay spring loop for attaching to the side ot a receptacle and extending` down vardly on both sides thereof, a sigl'ial device supported pivotally at one ot the lower ends oit said spring support, a Hont, a. guide rod tor said float and a guide- 'ay t'or said rod Ytoi-med in the other end ot said spring support. said signal device being arranged to be operated by the falling ot said float rod. substantially as described.

signal device comprising in combinan tion a liquid receptacle, a gravity actuated visual indicator supported. in unstable equilibrium on the outside ot said receptacle and extending` inside the top thereof, a float adapted to be operated by the liquid in said receptacle. and means carried by said float jlior normally holding said indicator and tor releasing the same when the liquid in said receptacle falls below a predeteru'iined level.

3. signal device comprising spring attaching means adapted to be secured to the side oit a liquid receptacle. a visual indicator supported in unstable auiilibriuni at its lower end by said spring attaching means, and lioat actuated means tor normally restraining and itfor releasing said visual indicator.

l. signal device comprising in combination a liquid receptacle a visual indicator supported at its lower end on the outside of said receptacle and normally held in unstable equilibrium. a float inside said receptacle, and means carried by the float 'tor normally restraining and for releasing said indieator.

A signal device conqirising in combination with a liquid receptacle spring attachingl means adapted to be secured to the side ot said liquid receptacle, a` visual indicator on the outside of said receptacle, a float in said rfzcei'itacle, a guide i'or said tloat termed by an extension ot said spring attaching means. and means actuated by the Iloat for normally restraining` and tor releasing said indicator.

1.. A signal device comprising spring attaching means adapted to be secured to the side et a liquid receptacle, and to extend downwardly troni the top oit said receptacle both interiorly and exteriorly thereof, a` visual indicator supported at its end by the exteriorly downwardly extending` portion of said attaching means5 a :[ioat provided with a floatrod. and guides for said float rod carried by the interior extending portion ot' said attaching means. said lfloat rod being arranged to engage the unsupported end of said indicator when in adjusted position.

T. A signal device comprising in combination a liquid receptacle, a visual gravity operable indicator supported in unstable equilibrium on the outside ot' said receptacle below the top thereof and provided with an extension projecting inside the edge ol' said receptacle. a` Hoat in said receptacle. and a rod carried by the float for engaging said extension and releasing the same upon the falling ot the Heat.

8. A signal device comprising in combination a liquid receptacle, a visual gravity operable indicator supported at its lower end in unstable etpiilibrirun on the outside of' said receptacle below the top thereof and provided with an extension projecting inside the edge ot' said receptacle, a float in said receptacle. a guide for said float, and a guide rod carried by said tloat for engaging said extension and releasing the same upon the falling of the lloat.

9. A, signal device comprising in eombination a liquid receptacle, a signal. on the out side ot said receptacle and provided with an extension extending inside the top thereot, a float in said receptacle responsive to liquid level therein. and means carried by said tloat arrai'iged to engage and normally restrain the extension of said signal, and to release the same upon lowering ol' the liquid level.

ln testimony whereo't, l a llix my signature in the presence ot witnesses.

STEPHEN L. YOUNG. lVitnes-ses lia uov'r S'rimw nu., FRANK P. lVlALPass.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ai Patents. Washington, D. C. 

